I am considering of paying DeaxExtreme's clothes, because they are rather cheap and seem to be rather good in the summer.

I would like to have a cloth that keeps me warm as it rains and as I cycle 50 km/h maximum. I am therefore considering of having a fleece and ECWCS level 1 layer under the given cloth, just in case when it gets cold. I should definately keep a scarf to protect my throat with the given cloth.

Are DX's clothes worth the money?

I am wearing at the moment polo trousers with elastic boxers and a jacket with fleece underwear which does traps water inside. Continuous chafing and the wet jacket are my main problems.

The temperature range is often -10 - +36 C from the morning to the day temperature in the summer. The weather is often windy. I am living in many countries such as Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and France.

It would be helpful to know the temperature range you're dealing with. It sounds like maybe the 5-15 Celsius range? If you really go 50km/h (31mph) much of the time then you clearly need a wind barrier of some sort in cooler temperatures and especially in the rain.
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Daniel R HicksJul 25 '11 at 21:12

(Or did you mean you cycle 50 km/day?) However, the clothing in your link is all polyester and would not be a good choice in warmer weather (above 20C) when you need clothing that "breathes", nor is is necessarily (can't tell for sure) good wind-blocking clothing for cooler weather.
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Daniel R HicksJul 25 '11 at 21:18

5okm per day is not a short ride. It's not long, exactly, but it's respectable, and you should consider using quality clothing. I gree with both wdypdx22 and Daniel R Hicks. I wouldn't consider the kit you linked to at all, and we need more info to help you choose better. Where do you ride? Your profile says Europe, and that's not specific enough to be helpful.
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zenbike♦Jul 26 '11 at 3:00

I cycle 50 km/h maximum. I need and want to cycle everyday about 50 kilometres. The temperature range is often -10 - +36 C from the morning to the day temperature. The weather is often windy. I am living in many countries such as Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and France. @ Is there any clothning that breathes and are good wind-blocking?
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MasiJul 26 '11 at 10:23

1 Answer
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You've got some pretty demanding criteria there, especially if you have such wide variations in a single day.

The key is "layers" -- different pieces of clothes you can easily put on or take off as conditions change. And, for that many layers you'd probably want to have a pannier or some other sort of bike bag to carry what you're not wearing (though you could probably get by with a backpack).

Since cost is a factor, you should start with what you already have (maybe not designed for cycling) and add a few critical pieces.

First and foremost, you need some good rain clothes -- a lightweight jacket that is waterproof (or close to it) and some sort of pants that shed water well. The jacket needs to "breathe", so you don't begin to sweat too quickly. (But even if it "breathes", you'll find that it gets sweaty very rapidly.)

You also need "wind clothes", so the wind doesn't penetrate your clothing on a cold day. These should be anything that is thin but tightly woven (but not waterproof).

Otherwise, you need layers of clothes that keep you warm without making you sweat and without holding sweat (or rain) close to your skin. Wool is the old traditional favorite here, though there are many synthetic fabrics (such as CoolMax) that are better (and not as scratchy). But stay away from synthetics such as nylon, polyester, etc, except perhaps as a thin outer layer.

Cotton is to be avoided in cold weather (because it insulates poorly and holds moisture against the skin), though many of us prefer to cycle in a simple cotton tee shirt in warmer weather.

All of these clothes should fit fairly tightly, so they don't flap very much in the wind. (Though the rain jacket should maybe be a little looser than the others, both to "breathe" a little better and because you frequently need to put it on and take it off in a hurry.) Flapping slows you down and also reduces the insulating effectiveness of the clothes.

If something is water-proof then isn't it wind-proof too? If so why say, "You also ..."?
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ChrisWJul 26 '11 at 12:09

@ChrisW, there are clothes that are made to be water resistant and still breathable. Like GoreTex. Water proof is hard to come by anyhow.
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zenbike♦Jul 26 '11 at 14:07

Thank you for pointing out GoreTex! - I need to test again wool clothes. I have found fleece very good and cheaper material as a substitute of wool. I take it off when it is warm.
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MasiJul 26 '11 at 18:00

The material of jacket is the same as the skijumpers are using. My jacket is very big, XL, to allow air coming in when it is warm and to allow to have a fleece under when it is cold.
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MasiJul 26 '11 at 18:01

I do not have anything under the given jacket when it is warm. I carry a lot water with me such that I can feel it. However, I feel myself warm so most often. It is not so a big problem.
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MasiJul 26 '11 at 18:03